Laundryproof plastic insignia and name plate holder-cover



March 1, 1960 HOLICK 2,926,439

LAUNDRYPROOF PLASTIC INSIGNIA AND NAME PLATE HOLDER-COVER Filed Jan. 25,1957 i v I I WM,

LAUNDRYPROOF PLASTIC INSIGNIA AND NAME PLATE HOLDER-(IOVER John WilliamHolick, Bryan, Tex. Application January 25, 1957, Serial No. 636,308

3 Claims. (Cl. 40-1.5)

This invention relates to a type of laundryproof, flexible plasticarticle or device adapted to be secured permanently to a garment,particularly a uniform, for the sake of displaying indentification,which will serve a need for such article or device as will not catch orsnag on overgarments, harnessing straps, or on anything else. Myinvention is an improvement to such extent over other articles used fora similar purpose that it obtains a certain usefulness where such otherarticles fail.

It is well known that under certain conditions it is not desirable towear anything on the clothing which may catch or'snag on other objectsso as to be hazardous or annoying.

One embodiment of this invention is a new kind of device for holding andprotecting a name plate (which may also bear an insigne) on theclothing. Another embodiment is a new and improved rank insigne, such asrank insignia for officers of the armed forces, of the type designed foruse where conventional metal insignia cannot be used or are notpractical.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device which, beinglaundryproof, supple, and transparent, can be permanently secured to agarment so that a name plate (which may also bear an insigne), ofleather, cardboard, or other material may be exhibited therein in suchmanner that both the name plate and the holder will be free of anysnagging or catching on any other object such as harnessing straps,overgarments, rigging cards or the like, or when the wearer is passingthrough close places or working in small compartments.

Another object is to provide a laundryproof, flexible, rank insigne of atype designed to be permanently secured to a garment, which will havegreat durability, will retain its original luster in gold or silvercoloring, and will be free of any snagging or catching on any otherobject such as harnessing straps, overgarments, rigging cords or thelike or when the wearer is passing through close places or working insmall compartments.

The present invention provides, as a specification, a new and usefuldevice, hereinafter called a name plate holder, for exhibiting a personsname on his clothing in a manner that will fulfill certain requirementsnot achieved by other devices for similar use. While it is simple andinexpensive, it eliminatessnagging or catching and at the same timemakes possible enough display space for including onthe nameplate othermedia ..of identification in addition to the persons name, thereby beingparticularly well adapted to retain a leather name plate. It can be usedon flight clothing, fatigue clothing, or wherever it is desirable toeliminate snagging or catching, yet obtain neatness and-fine appearance.

As another specification, this invention provides a kind of rankinsignia of the non-metal or flexible type for officers of the armedforces, or other persons for which its use may prove advantageous, whichhas as its principal feature, similarly as the foregoing specificationin the form of a name plate holder, that of being free of snagging orcatching on other things. The insignia of this invention are capable ofexcellent durability, will reatent I structed of plastic or resinousmaterials, except for metallic pigments used in coloring, and can beproduced at relatively low cost with high quality.

Other features and advantages will be evident from the description tofollow and from the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof.

In this drawing, with like characters of reference indicatingcorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. l is a plan view of a captains rank insigne of the type of thisinvention.

Fig. 2, on a slightly reduced scale, is a plan view of a majors orlieutenant, colonels rank insigne of the same type as Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 (same scaleas Fig. 2) is representative of a lieutenants insigneof the same type as Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 in perspective view, showing acurved shape intended to indicate flexibility for attaching to agarment.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view outlining a name plate holder of the type of thisinvention.

Fig. 6. is a plan view of a name plate holder (reducedscale of Fig. 5)illustrating it as stitched to a garment, forming a pocket.

Fig. 7 illustrates how a name plate or card is inserted in or withdrawnfrom the holder.

Fig. 8 is an illustration of the holder with a name plate therein. Theflap does not show in this illustration for the reason that it is foldedback and behind the name plate.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view 99 in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a illustration of a rank insigne attached to the shoulder ofa uniform.

Fig. 11 is a view of a name plate holder with name plate therein and ofa rank insigne as they are normally located on a uniform.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3and 4, an assembly is provided in which a flexible plastic symbol 12,having a lustrous gold or silver color, is encased by bonding between anupper mold section 13 of colorless transparent flexible plastic sheetmaterial and a lower section 14 formed either of flexible plastic sheetmaterial or of a suitable resinous coating applied in liquid form. Thusan article of insignia is fabricated in which the symbol 12 is clearlyvisible through the transparent upper mold section 13. The upper andlower sections 13 and 14 are extended on all sides from the symbol 12 soas to form a flange for attaching to a garment.

Certain of the symbols, such as bars, are characterized a smoothsurface, but others, such as the design of a leaf or of an eagle, areproperly represented in relief pattern of the surface, which is obtainedby embossing or molding. Suitable material for the symbols 12, availablewith laundryproof metallic coating, which can be molded or embossed withintricate detail of pattern, may be described as flexible vinyl sheetingwith metallic coating. A suitable material for the upper mold section 13is available and may be described as flexible, colorless, transparentvinyl sheeting which can be heat molded. For the lower section 14, thesame transparent vinyl sheeting or a similar material, here eithercolorless or with color impregnated, may be used. There are alsoavailable resinous materials in liquid form which will produce a filmhaving the desired properties.

taken along the line can be produced at low cost in multiple moldlaminae form or by any other method as may be employed by personsskilled in the art.

The use of such plastic materials as herein described for theconstruction of the insignia of this invention makes possible theenduring metallic colors and the rendering of intricate detail in thefeatures of the symbols such as is required of a majors, colonels, orlieutenant colonels symbol of rank. Conversely, the use of textiles,fine braids and the like for making flexible rank insignia for ofiicerswill not produce fine quality of detail or durable metallic colors.

With further reference to the drawing, the reference numeral 10generally designates a name plate holder of the type of this inventionwhich is constructed of a single member, and is of flexible transparentvinyl sheet material, or the like. In Fig. 5 the name plate holder isillustrated in plan view. The broken line O-O marks the location of afold line, and while it is understood the device is of one piece, thedesignations main body 10a and flap portion 10b to the right and left ofthe broken line OO are given for the sakeof description. In Fig. 6(reduced in scale) the numeral designates a portion of a garment with aname plate holder 10 attached thereto by means of stitching 16 along theedges of three sides of the main body 10a, forming a pocket with anopening beneath the fold line O--O. Fig. 7 is illustrative of how a nameplate 17 of leather, cardboard, or the like (which may also bear aninsigne) is passed beneath the flap 10b, through the opening beneath OOand into position between the holder 10 and the supporting material of agarment 15. In Fig. 8 a name plate 17 is shown in wearing position beingclearly exposed to view through the transparent holder 10. When thedevice is in wearing position, with plate inserted, the flap portion 10bis out of view, being folded at the line OO backward and behind the nameplate 17 as shown in Fig. 9, which is an enlarged sectional view takenalong the line 9-9 in Fig. 8.

Name plate holders of the type of this invention can be manufactured bythe simple operation of cutting a pattern to shape from transparentvinyl sheeting, or the like, preferably of a thickness of from .0020 to.0030. Such vinyl material as described herein is durable, supple, andlaundryproof, will not fail at stitched lines, and is capable ofrecovery from folding or creasing. Furthermore, it is excellentlyadapted for forming the flap portion 10a of the holder 10, requiring nogroove or mark at the line 0-0, and can be stitched to garments by meansof ordinary sewing machines, such as used in the household or intailoring shops.

Various methods of construction or other materials may be employed bypersons skilled in the art to. which this invention appertains, and thesizes, shapes, or thicknesses of these articles or devices may be variedto conform to certain requirements. It is also possible to produce thesearticles or devices with fewer or more parts or with differcut relativepositions of the parts. I therefore consider as my own all suchmodifications or adaptations of the forms of the articles or devicesherein described and illustrated as may reasonably fall within the scopeof this invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a garment of fabric material subject to exposureto weather, repeated folding, laundering, dry cleaning, steam pressingand the like, a rank indicating device impervious to adverse effects bythe same exposure as the garment, said device comprising a sheet ofplasticmaterial having resilient shape restoring characteristics, athree dimensional flexible symbol con structed of resilient shaperestoring material, said sheet of plastic material including an uppertransparent layer overlying the symbol and revealing the same in relief,and a lower layer underlying the symbol and bonded to the upper layerthereby forming a sheet of plastic material, said sheet of materialextending laterally beyond the symbol a substantial distance about theentire periphery thereof and having an inner surface for area wideintimate conforming contact with a garment, and a peripheral row ofstitching extending through the fabric of the garment and the outer edgeof the sheet of material closely adjacent to the edge thereof andentirely therearound for permanent attachment to the garment while it issubject to exposure to the weather, repeated folding, laundering, drycleaning and steam pressing.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the sheet of plastic materialextends beyond the symbol a distance sufiicient to accommodate a presserfoot of a sewing machine.

3. A rank indicating device adapted to be stitched to a garmentcomprising a sheet of plastic material having resilient shape restoringcharacteristics, a three dimensional flexible symbol constructed ofresilient shape restoring material, said sheet of plastic materialincluding an upper layer overlying the symbol and revealing the symbolin relief, and a lower layer underlying the symbol and bonded to theupper layer thereby forming a sheet of plastic material, said sheet ofmaterial extending laterally beyond the symbol a substantial distancesufficient to accommodate the presser foot of a sewing machine about theentire periphery of the symbol, said sheet of plastic material having aninner surface for area wide intimate contact with a garment and adaptedto receive a peripheral row of stitching extending through the sheet ofmaterial closely adjacent to the edge thereof and entirely therearoundfor permanent attachment to a garment while the garment is subject toexposure to various weather conditions, repeated folding, laundering,dry cleaning and steam pressing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,306,627 Rieb June 10, 1919 1,323,977 Gaunt Dec. 2, 1919 1,788,211Steiner -5. Jan. 6, 1931 2,051,665 West Aug. 18, 1936 2,361,670Whitehead Oct. 31, 1944 2,449,727 Sloane Sept. 21, 1948 2,628,452Gladstein Feb. 17, 1953 2,671,902 Grue Mar. 16 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS3,153 Great Britain Mar. 27, 1916 555,427 Great Britain Aug. 23, 1943456,484 Italy Apr. 5, 1950

